The Ahafo Regional Peace Council has called on the Electoral Commission (EC) and stakeholders to facilitate a credible election that would be accepted by all to safeguard the nation’s fledgling democracy.

“We will entreat all state institutions entrusted with the onerous responsibility of conducting this year’s elections to do their best to command the confidence, trust and respect of all players in this year’s elections so as to consolidate the gains of the country’s multi-party democracy,” the council said in a statement.

The statement signed by the Most Reverend Peter Kwaku Atuahene, the Chairman of the Ahafo Regional Peace Council and made available to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), entreated political parties “to have trust and confidence in the state machinery to deliver its mandate.”

It commended stakeholders in this year’s elections, and the “good people of Ahafo for the largely peaceful, decorous and professional manner in which we have been able to conduct this year’s electoral activities, during and after the voter registration exercise.”

“Based on what has been done so far and all the necessary preparations made by the relevant institutions towards the 2020 elections, we are highly confident the elections will not only be peaceful but will be free, fair and credible.”

“We can achieve enviable election results if we conduct ourselves in accordance with the Laws and guidelines regarding the elections. We trust the ability of all relevant institutions to conduct themselves above reproach and deliver their best within the Law to ensure a peaceful, credible free, fair and transparent election,” the statement added.

“This therefore requires that we all play fairly, honestly and sincerely according to the rules of the game. In this regard, we wish to remind all political party leaders in the Ahafo region about the commitment of their national leaders through the Code of Conduct and Roadmap to facilitate the eradication of political party vigilantism which has been the main cause of electoral violence in our country.”

“The two major political parties, the NDC and NPP committed to publicly denounce any acts of vigilantism, especially where the perpetrators are affiliated, associated with, connected or related to their political parties”, it said.

Following the passage of the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act, 2019 (Act 999), the statement reminded political parties of their commitment to engage leadership of known vigilante groups operating within their parties or for political purposes, and encourage them to disband such groups.

It also urged law enforcement agencies in the Ahafo region to do their work without fear or favour.

“To the youth and especially party foot soldiers, your lives are worth far more than tools of violence for the interest of any individual or group. Your true welfare lies in a peaceful Ghana, please think about it and act peacefully before, during and after the election,” the statement added.